The recent spate of violence in the far South may have been perpetrated by a third party with the military currently in talks with political rivals in the region to reconcile their differences ahead of the Feb 24 election, according to Fourth Army commander Pornsak Surasak.
Lt Gen Pornsak said the security authorities have set up roadside checkpoints to search for weapons.
The military is concerned that political enemies may try to settle scores with each other and make it look like insurgent violence, according to the commander.
"I've asked many rivals to talk with each other. I told them: 'Do not [resort to violence]'," he said.
The rivals in question may be from different families. It would be misleading if they shot one another and blamed the unrest, he added.
Pornsak: Engaged in talks in region
The roadside checkpoints will be operational until the election under a directive given by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
"We need to deal with the weapons first. No one [who is unauthorised] can carry firearms. There's no compromise here. The law will be enforced strictly," Lt Gen Pornsak said.
Earlier, Gen Prawit said the attacks on Samila beach in Songkhla's Muang district on Wednesday night could be politically motivated and were not linked with the southern insurgency.
The explosions occurred about 10pm on Wednesday; one at the mermaid sculpture, and the other 300 metres away near the sculpture of a cat and rat.
The tail of the mermaid broke off while the cat and rat sculpture was left unscathed by the other explosion. No one was hurt in either incident.
There was also a bomb left in a rubbish bin near the beach which failed to go off. It was reportedly wrapped in Malay newspaper. However, a source said this might have been a ruse to mislead authorities that the bomb was planted by insurgents.
On Friday, Gen Prawit said the perpetrators of the mermaid attacks were from Thepha district of Songkhla. The attacks, he added, were meant to jeopardise public confidence in the economy during the New Year.
Maj Gen Chatuphon Kalamphasut, deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said police were still unsure who was responsible for the attacks.
Although some activities by insurgent groups in Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and four border districts of Songkhla were previously detected in Songkhla, there was no evidence to suggest they perpetrated the bombings, he said.
In Narathiwat, four bombs went off at about the same time in four different spots in four districts of this strife-torn southern province on Saturday night following a series of violent incidents. There were no reports of deaths or injuries in these attacks.
In Rangae district, a bomb tied to two roadside power posts opposite Ratchapracha Nukroh School at Ban Bo Thong in tambon Tanyongmat was detonated by militants about 9.45pm, causing a loud explosion. The two power posts were damaged but did not fall down.
About the same time in Sri Sakhon district, a bomb went off at a mobile phone signal transmission tower in Ban Buenae Nakon of tambon Tamayung.
In Rueso district, a homemade bomb exploded under a concrete railway sleeper near Ban Yaba, about two kilometres from the railway station.
In the latest incident, about 9.30am Sunday morning, an explosion occurred at a railway bridge between Todeng and Bukit railway stations in tambon Bukit of Cho Airong district. A train sleeper was slightly damaged.
On Saturday afternoon, three rangers were seriously injured after assailants hiding in a roadside rubber plantation opened fire in Sri Sakhon district .
- Earlier report: Bombings continue in Narathiwat
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